Future Echos
by Catherine4
Summary: Chapter 10 future kidfic. Someone's after Cole. His nephew, daughter and the rest of the Halliwell family may be the key to defeating them. But things won't be that easy.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1  
  
Piper dropped the laundry she was carrying on her way upstairs, and ran into the kitchen in response to Phoebe's high-pitched shriek.  
  
"Whoa, what the hell was that?" Piper stood in the doorway and looked quizzically at her younger sister who was crouched on the counter holding a spatula. "Phoebe, what...?"  
  
Piper glanced down and spotted a large brown rat scurry under the table. Piper's confused look was replaced by a giggle as she looked again at Phoebe's terrified expression.  
  
She crouched down and tried to coax the animal out. "Mitsy, Come on... Mitsy!"  
  
Phoebe lowered her spatula but still cowered on the work top. "Mitsy? Who's Mitsy?"  
  
Piper scooped her up and hugged the rat, stroking the top of it's head with the tip of her finger. "My rat" she said simply and started to walk across the room towards phoebe.  
  
"Get that thing away from me" she warned, shooting an annoyed glance at her annoying sister. "Since when do you have a rat?"  
  
"Aww, my lovely husband bought her for me, he thought I might be lonely while you're all at work. Isn't that sweet?"  
  
"Yeah, cute. Now put it away."  
  
Phoebe finally hopped off the counter and put down the kitchen utensil she had been waving in the air. She inched towards the door, still keeping a wary distance from Piper and the rat.  
  
"Phoebe, relax. She's harmless."  
  
"I notice you're still holding that thing when I specifically told you to put it down." Phoebe still looked worried and reached for a wooded spoon. "I'm gonna kill him! Well, if that thing doesn't kill me first."  
  
"Who, Leo...?  
  
Suddenly Leo orbed into the room, narrowly avoiding colliding with the refrigerator. He stumbled to one side and stood up, composing himself. "You called?"  
  
Piper placed the rat down on the table and put her hands on her hips. "No. I was talking about you, not to you. Don't you think your let's-run-to-the- aid-of-your-helpless-pregnant-wife radar is a little sensitive?"  
  
Leo shrugged and shuffled his feet like a guilty little schoolboy.  
  
Phoebe took her eyes off the rat long enough to give Leo a questioning look. "Yeah, and what's with the bad aim?"  
  
"I'm just a little anxious."  
  
Piper's expression softened and she walked over to her husband, lovingly placing a hand on his chest. "Honey, stop worrying. I'm fine. I may be pregnant but I'm not totally incapable of looking after myself." She paused. "You weren't like this last time"  
  
Leo nodded in understanding and kissed her hair. She wrapped her arms around his waist.  
  
"Well, you were invincible last time. Are you sure you're ok?" Leo asked again, then flinched when he knew what was coming.  
  
Piper looked up at his face, annoyed. "Yes!"  
  
Leo realised smiling and hugged his wife closer. "I was on my way anyway. What was with all the screaming?" He looked in Phoebe's direction and she shied away, embarrassed.  
  
Piper lifted her head again. "Rat."  
  
Leo nodded, not saying anything, and went back to kissing Piper. Phoebe rolled her eyes at the pair of them and turned. She picked up a magazine and headed out of the room.  
  
"Oh! Paige!" she said, surprised, spotting the youngest sister standing in the living room doorway. "You made me jump. I didn't hear the door shut."  
  
Paige sighed and collapsed against the wall. "That's because it didn't. I orbed in."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"It was raining" she said, by way of explanation. "Besides, I had to get away from this freaky guy. He's been following me all week. He's such a creep." Paige paused for a second and a mischievous smirk crept over her face. "I bet I gave him one hell of a shock when I just disappeared."  
  
"What?" Piper exclaimed, emerging in the doorway. "You did what?!"  
  
Leo walked up behind her and placed both hands on her shoulders. "Sweetie, calm down. All this stress isn't good for the baby."  
  
"Don't give me that crap!" she snapped.  
  
'Hormones' Phoebe mouthed silently to Leo and Piper's face softened.  
  
"Sorry" Piper said, looking very apologetic. "Ah, who cares? It's not like I haven't done anything like that before."  
  
"Bad day?" Leo asked, slightly amused.  
  
None of them said anything then Phoebe suddenly spoke up. "The rat's still out!"  
  
"Aww, Mitsy. Where is she?" Paige replied, smiling.  
  
"What? You know her too?"  
  
Paige shot a confused expression at Piper and she nodded. "She's scared of her."  
  
Paige turned her head to face Phoebe. "We fight demons for a living and you're scared of a little rat?"  
  
Phoebe sighed. "Yes, we've all established that I'm a wuss. Could someone please change the subject?"  
  
"You're not a wuss Mom" Brooke said, grinning, as she walked in from the back yard holding a soccer ball. "You kill lotsa demons! It's cooooool!"  
  
"Shoes!" Phoebe warned.  
  
Brooke rolled her eyes and deposited her muddy sneakers on the doormat. "I beat Wyatt 4-0" she announced, "for a boy, he sucks at sports."  
  
Phoebe groaned at her 6 year old daughter, noticing the large quantities of dirt that covered her clothes. Brooke didn't seem to care and went over to the refrigerator to find some juice, enthusiastically recounting her brilliant victory to anyone who was listening.  
  
Wyatt drudged in through the door, remarkably clean and plonked himself down on a chair. "Hey sweetie" Piper greeted, ruffling his hair. He tried to squirm away and pouted. Piper rolled her eyes.  
  
Brooke stuck her tongue out, gloating. He did his best to ignore her. He didn't do very well. "She beet me! It's not fair! Girl's aren't meant to play sports, that's for boys."  
  
"You're just grouchy cos I won, I always win!"  
  
"Well, you always cheat!"  
  
"I do not!"  
  
"Do too!" he looked from his mom to his aunts, waiting to see their reactions. "She uses her powers!" "Don't lie!" she paused and folded her arms. "No magic for personal gain."  
  
Wyatt responded by giving her a kick. "Ow!" she yelped and whacked him back.  
  
"Hey! Cut it out!" Leo glared at his 8 year old son, who pretended not to notice. Brooke giggled and took another sip of her juice.  
  
"And don't think I didn't see what you did missy." Paige warned her niece and sat down at the table too, still stroking the rat.  
  
"What's up honey? You're not usually like this." Piper crouched down next to her son. Wyatt shrugged.  
  
"I'm only like this when she beats me!" He pointed meaningfully at his cousin. Brooke gave him a look. That's all the time then.  
  
"Stop it guys." Phoebe walked over to the table, cookie jar in hand. Both kids forgot what they were arguing about and looked at her eagerly at the prospect of sugar.  
  
They both lunged for the cookie jar as soon as Phoebe put it down. Brooke's elbow accidently collided with Wyatt's face. Piper cringed, she knew what was coming.  
  
"Ouch! Mom, she hurt me!"  
  
Piper looked across at her middle sister and rolled her eyes. So much for that idea. 


	2. Chapter 2

Piper lay in bed looking up at the ceiling, watching the shapes the moonlight cast through the curtains. She heard Leo stir next to her and his arm came to rest on her side. She smiled and looked at the subtle highlights of his face. It took her a second to realise he was awake.  
  
"Couldn't sleep either huh?" he asked smiling, and leant across to kiss her.  
  
She shook her head. "this baby won't keep still. What's your excuse?"  
  
Leo smirked. "That baby's mommy won't keep still."  
  
Piper looked apologetic and shifted her weight again in a vain attempt to get comfortable. "Sorry, I can sleep next door if you like."  
  
"No way!" He put his hands around her waist and pulled her close to him. "You're not sleeping anywhere but right here."  
  
She smiled. "I'm so glad you're back" she told him, slightly out of he blue.  
  
Her comment took him slightly by surprise and he reached up and cupped her face in one of his hands. He looked into her eyes, searching for the meaning of her words. He saw worry and pain in her face and a tear slid down her cheek. Leo wiped it away with his thumb. "I'm glad I'm back too."  
  
"7 years. 7 years I had to spend without you. I thought I'd never see you again."  
  
"I'm here" he reassured lovingly. Piper nodded.  
  
"I'm fine, really. More than fine. I can't believe how lucky I am. I have a loving husband, and beautiful son, another baby one the way."  
  
"Only 2 months" Leo beamed.  
  
Piper shook her head at the goofy grin on his face. She knew exactly what he was thinking. He'd missed so much of Wyatt's life, she could just tell that this little one was going to have the most caring daddy ever.  
  
Piper rolled over again to face Leo and grinned. It would have been a huge understatement if she were to say she was happy as well. It was all different this time somehow, maybe because they had done it before. They could just enjoy the experience instead of just worrying about learning what to do.  
  
They were pros.  
  
"What do you think then" she said after a minute or two of contented silence. "Boy or girl?"  
  
Leo thought for a moment. "A girl."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah, why not?"  
  
Piper shrugged. "Well, Wyatt was the first boy to ever be born to a Halliwell witch. I've come to the conclusion that we're just odd." Leo chuckled at her and shook his head. "What? What stick to tradition now?"  
  
"I still think it's a girl."  
  
"Boy!" Piper smirked at him, daring him to challenge her.  
  
"Wanna bet?"  
  
"Yeah! You're on!"  
  
They winked at each other in the darkness, snuggling closer together and Leo pulled the covers tightly around them. "We better get some sleep now. I love you."  
  
In the next room, Brooke sat up in bed. She was thoroughly fed up and wanted to sleep. But she couldn't, so the next best thing was to wake up properly, and to do that, she needed someone else awake to annoy. She picked up her stuffed white dog and glanced at Wyatt asleep across the room.  
  
After debating for a while whether to wake her cousin up or not, there was a surprised yelp as she lobbed the toy through the air. It hit Wyatt on the side of the head and bounced off onto the floor.  
  
He woke up with a start. He didn't know what time it was, he alarm clock was a little bit broken due to an incident involving Brooke, a chopping board and the notion that it might be fun to play tennis with it. He sat up in bed, looking very sleepy and blinked. Brooke nodded, looking please with herself.  
  
"I'm bored Wy, let's play!"  
  
"No. And don't call me that." Much to her annoyance, he dived back underneath the covers. Brooke tutted in a very grown up way and hopped across the room, pouncing on Wyatt's bed.  
  
"Stop it! I don't want to play."  
  
Brooke pouted. Sleepy, fed up 6 year olds who don't get their own way are not to be messed with. She grinned her mischievious little grin and held out both her arms, palms facing up.  
  
Wyatt slowly began to levitate off the bed. "Hey!"  
  
"Fly!" She commanded, and lifted him higher up. "It's cooooooool!"  
  
Wyatt rolled his eyes. She liked that word.  
  
One Wyatt was at a sufficient height above the bed, she stopped, suspending him in mid air. He hated it when she did this. I don't know if you've ever tried struggling in mid air, but it's near impossible. He frantically waved his arms around.  
  
"Hehe!" She giggled. "Fly, fly, fly!"  
  
"Brookie. What are you doing with my son?"  
  
She jumped and turned to see aunt Piper standing at the door with her hands on her hips. 'Oh no' Brooke thought, 'this isn't good.' Still, it was better than Mommy. She was glad her mother could sleep through anything, or it would be her standing there, then there would really be hell to pay.  
  
Brooke lost concentration and Wyatt crashed into a heap on the floor. "Hmph" he said, from under the bed cover, which he had pulled down with him. "I wish you wouldn't do that."  
  
"But it's fun." Brooke shrugged, not seeing any reason for not doing it other than she might get yelled at. But even then, when it was aunt Piper standing there, even that didn't really bother her.  
  
Piper glared. "Kids. Bed. Now." She shot them both meaningful looks and closed the door, walking back down the hallway.  
  
Brooke sighed. Night time was boring. 


	3. Chapter 3

"Pssst." Brooke tried to attract her cousin's attention through the banisters. It didn't work. Apparently, cartoons were more interesting than she was. When that didn't work, she raised her voice. "Wyatt!!!"  
  
He snapped his head around to face and gave her that 'shut-up-or-else' look. Phoebe, Piper and Leo were in the kitchen. When he was satisfied she'd got the message, he turned back to the TV. He should've known it'd take more to keep her quiet.  
  
She put on her 'cute and innocent' face and pouted. "Wyatt, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?"  
  
"What?!"  
  
'Hehe' she thought, 'it worked'. "I found a spell" she announced. In the book."  
  
He looked worried and rushed up the stairs joining her. "Where? In the book? You know you're not allowed upstairs."  
  
She shrugged. "I know. I didn't go upstairs."  
  
"Well, you're not allowed to stand at the bottom of the stairs and float things down either."  
  
"Well, I didn't exactly find it." She shuffled nervously. "I wrote it."  
  
"So you have no idea whether it will work or not?"  
  
"Please, Wy Wy!" He slowly began to turn pink with anger at being called her baby name for him. Not quite red yet, he was used to her and knew how to cope.  
  
Brooke grabbed his sleeve and dragged him up the stairs. "C'mon, it's fun!" she stopped on the landing and bounced up and down grinning. "Let's do magic!"  
  
"Nooo... I don't wanna get in trouble." He stopped. "Again."  
  
She rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips, much like her mother did when she was trying her patience. "It's not like last time. No setting fire to the curtains. I promise."  
  
"Or throwing my Daddy's suit out the window?"  
  
"Nope!"  
  
Wyatt had to admit he was intrigued. Any spell that Brooke wanted to do that didn't involve house hold destruction or breaking the law might, just might, be interesting. Still, he didn't want to let her know she was convincing him, then there would be no stopping her.  
  
Brooke saw that he was cracking and smirked. After all, he was taller. He could reach things in high places that she wasn't meant to. She gave a little mischievious grin at the thought of things she could get up to.  
  
But no, later. They had more important things to do now.  
  
"So, what's this spell then?"  
  
"A seeing spell!"  
  
Oh god. That sounded ominous.  
  
She continued, either not noticing his hesitation or not caring. The latter was probably the most likely. "I wanna see inside your mommy's tummy! I wanna talk to baby!"  
  
* * *  
  
Paige walked into the kitchen and flung her bag down on the sofa. "It's quiet in here" she said suspiciously, placing her bag on the table, where the other 3 were sitting.  
  
"I know" said Piper, cupping a mug of coffee in her hands, "We were just thinking the same thing."  
  
"Shouldn't someone go and see what the kids are up to?" She began to turn towards the door. Phoebe stopped her, placing a hand on her arm.  
  
"No, it's fine. We're ready if they're up to anything."  
  
"If? Don't you mean when?! Am I the only one who knows what your kids are like?"  
  
The other 3 said nothing. Wyatt and Brooke tiptoed into the door way, the adults continued to talk, pretending they weren't there but Piper gave Leo a knowing wink.  
  
"Brooke, if you're gonna do it, do it now before they see us!" He looked paranoid at the group sitting at the table.  
  
"Chill out" she said, thinking of a new wintry word to use. She took the crumpled paper and bag of purple powder out of her pocket.  
  
They looked up again to make sure no one was watching and began to chant the spell. Wyatt had trouble reading Brooke's messy writing but they managed.  
  
"So, what happens now?" he asked his little cousin. He was older, but sometimes it felt as if she was in charge  
  
"We wait!"  
  
"For what?"  
  
"Shhhh!"  
  
"Uh, Piper?" Phoebe looked across at her sister who had got up to get another drink.  
  
"What?" she asked, looking confused.  
  
"You're glowing."  
  
She looked down. Sure enough, a bright white light surrounded her stomach. She rolled her eyes towards the doorway to see two giggly faces smirking at her.  
  
"Kids!"  
  
"Don't be mad aunt Piper" said Brooke, running into the room over to her. "I only cast a spell!"  
  
Piper glared at her niece. "What kind of spell?"  
  
"A seeing spell" replied Wyatt, the sensible one. "I checked it, it won't do any harm."  
  
"So what exactly have you done?"  
  
"Nothing aunt Piper, I only wanted to talk to baby. And see her!"  
  
"Her?" Leo looked at the little girl, smiling.  
  
"Yeah! She says hi!"  
  
Brooke nuzzled her face into Piper's stomach. "Hello baby! I'm Brooke!"  
  
Leo looked across at his wife and nodded. "See, I told you it was a girl!" 


	4. Chapter 4

"Sweetie, what are you doing?" Leo followed Piper down the stairs into P3, holding Wyatt's hand.  
  
"Relax" she said, waving her arm at him dismissively. "I may be pregnant but I'm not an invalid. I can still work."  
  
"But." he began to protest, but couldn't think of anything more to say.  
  
She stopped and swung around to face them. "I'm not due for another 2 weeks. "I went past y due date before anyway. Apparently it runs in families." She walked over to Leo and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Look, I know you're worried, but I'm fine. Besides, I didn't have a choice. My head barman's off sick and we have a delivery. I'll be an hour, tops."  
  
"I can help you Mom" Wyatt suggested.  
  
"Thanks Honey." She winked at Leo and kissed him on the cheek. "At least I have one helpful man in my life."  
  
"Mom" Wyatt asked, when he was sitting on a stool in the back room 10 minutes later watching his Mom tell two guys where to put the crates, "what are you gonna call the baby?"  
  
"Steve, put that box in the corner." She turned to her son. "I don't know sweetie, me and your dad haven't really thought about it."  
  
Wyatt thought. "I don't think you should let Brooke choose."  
  
Piper laughed. "Why not?"  
  
"She was talking about naming the baby Flower. He made a face. "There's no way I'm having a sister called Flower!"  
  
Piper raised an eyebrow. "That's OK then, because there's no way I'm having a daughter called Flower!"  
  
"I have a middle name" Wyatt said after a while, "but you can't know yet."  
  
Piper walked over gesturing for him to get up. She sat down on the stool sighing and he perched on her knee. "What about a first name?"  
  
"You and Dad should choose, it's your baby."  
  
She smiled. "Thanks Wyatt." She gave him a hug. "Does it look like we're done here?" He nodded. "High five!" Their hands met in mid air and they both giggled. "C'mon, let's go home."  
  
* * *  
  
"Aunt Paige, Wyatt doesn't like my baby name." Brooke held Paige's hand as she pushed the shopping cart back to the car.  
  
"What name's that sweetie?"  
  
"Flower" Brooke replied, sulking. "You like it don't you?"  
  
Paige sighed. "Well, it's very." she tried to search for the right name, "unusual." She looked a bit surprised that her niece, the tom boy, liked such a girly name.  
  
"I like making cakes though" Brooke said, as if reading her mind. She wouldn't put it past the trouble maker, after all, she had cast a spell on the baby. She had quite the little budding witch on her hands.  
  
'Huh?' she thought, then realised. Flour. That was more like it.  
  
"I bet aunt Piper and uncle Leo will hate it too."  
  
Paige finished putting the last bag in the trunk and lifted Brooke into the car. "Maybe you could think of another name."  
  
Paige grimaced. Her sister wasn't going to like her much after saying that. She could only imagine what her niece would come up with next."  
  
* * *  
  
'Big brother?' Wyatt furrowed his brow at the voice coming from nowhere. 'Can you hear me?' It had been 2 months since Brooke had cast that spell. She had sat there for hours having conversations with his Mom's stomach but his sister hardly ever spoke to him. He shrugged. 'Yeah' he thought mentally.  
  
There was a pause. 'I'm ready to come out now.'  
  
Wyatt looked shocked. "Erm, Mom?"  
  
Piper looked down at him as the approached the door to the main part of the club.  
  
"The baby said."  
  
The voice spoke again. 'See you later!' And it was gone.  
  
"Aaaaaaaaaaargh!" Piper yelled, and leant against the door frame for support. "Leo!"  
  
"She said she was coming out now" Wyatt announced, grinning. Piper rolled her eyes, trust her son to know something like this before she did. Leo rushed to her side from one of the booths across the room and skidded to a halt.  
  
"What?" He asked, then looked at the pained expression on his wife's face.  
  
"Our daughter's coming now!"  
  
* * *  
  
"Go.. Get. Phoebe!" Piper yelled at Leo through laboured breaths. He jumped back, looking slightly scared, before orbing out of the room.  
  
Brooke giggled. "You're funny aunt Piper. Uncle Leo looked scared."  
  
Paige rolled her eyes and help Piper's hand. "She'll be here, just breathe."  
  
"I am breathing! Wyatt wasn't this much trouble!"  
  
Wyatt, who was sitting in the corner, gave a satisfied grin. Brooke stuck her tongue out at him for no reason other than to wind him up. He just did it back. Paige noticed and shook her head.  
  
"Not now kids."  
  
"Where's my useless husband?" Piper yelled through andother contraction. "He should be back by now!"  
  
"He'll be here" Paige said calmly, trying to reassure her.  
  
"If this kid was a whitelighter, you'd think she'd just orb out of me!"  
  
"Give the doctors one hell of a shock wouldn't it?"  
  
"Maybe she takes after Brooke. Difficult."  
  
"Oh God" said Phoebe, appearing in the middle of the room, "I don't know if we could cope with 2 of them!"  
  
"Mommy!" Brooke charged across the room and leapt into her mother's arms.  
  
"Woah! Careful there!" She reached for Wyatt's hand, patting Leo on the back and giving Piper a kiss on her forehead. "I'll take the kids to get something to eat, leave you to it." 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Brooke struggled free of her Mom's grip and bounced into the room. "Hello baby sister!"

"She's not your sister!" Wyatt snapped. "She's mine!"

They both smiled and looked down at the little baby in Piper's arms. Piper giggled. "Don't fight kids" she said, but they both grinned sweetly up at her and she could see this was the one time they weren't going to start a fight about nothing.

"Do you have a name yet Mommy?" Wyatt sat down next to Piper on the bed and Leo but his arm around his son's shoulders.

"Nope, not yet." She looked up at Phoebe and Paige, who were standing across the room. "Any ides?"

"Gertrude!" Phoebe said, smirking.

"Doris!"

Piper groaned. "Be sensible, please!"

"Margaret!" Phoebe said, not listening and giggled.

Piper paused and looked up to Leo. "Meg" she said.

"What?" Phoebe said, looking slightly amused. "I wasn't being serious!"

"We know" Leo replied, "but I like it!" He bent down and kissed his wife.

Wyatt snuggled up closer to Piper and tugged the sleeve of her gown. "Can I tell you my name please?" he pestered, looking down at baby Meg, "can I tell you her middle name?"

"Hey!" Brooke said, "how come he gets to pick a name!"

"She's his sister" Phoebe told her daughter. "When you have a baby sister, you can pick."

"Promise?"

"Promise." That seemed to appease her and everyone in the room turned back to Wyatt.

"Rhian" he announced proudly, "Meg Rhian Halliwell."

Piper and Leo looked at each other and then at their son. "Rhian eh?" Piper asked.

"Yeah!" He continued enthusiastically. "My teacher at school helped me look it up. It means 'Magical Maiden."

Piper grinned down at her new baby daughter. "Do you like the name your brother gave you Meg?" The baby just yawned. "I'll take that to mean yes shall I?" She hugged her son close. "I love it honey, it's perfect."

Inwardly, Leo groaned. Not another little witch. With a middle name like that, this child was bound to be nothing but trouble.

Brooke sat in the nursery, staring at her new baby cousin in thought. 'Baby' she thought, 'can you still hear me?'

Silence.

She sighed. She was fed up. Having a new baby about had sounded like an interesting prospect at the time, but the truth was they didn't do much and it was getting a bit boring. She shrugged and stood up, walking out of the room in the hope of finding something a bit more interesting to entertain herself with.

Downstairs, everyone else was quite happy sitting in the living room doing nothing. It was only the hyperactive one in the family that wanted something to do.

"What's your daughter up to Pheebs?" Asked Paige, yawning.

Phoebe reached for the remote on the coffee table. "I'm sure she's fine, she's been fascinated with that baby, she'll be quite happy just sitting there watching her."

Leo yawned too. "As long as she's quiet about it. It's so hard to get Meg to sleep." She looked down at Piper asleep with her head on his lap and stroked her hair. "Some one here isn't having much problem with that."

"Am I the only one here who doesn't mind being woken up?" Paige looked around the room at a hoard of annoyed faces. Even Wyatt, who was cuddling up to Phoebe gave her a look.

"Just wait 'til you're a parent" Leo replied, "then you'll know."

Piper sat on the sofa with a one year old Meg balanced on her knee. "You know, I'm worried Leo" she began, "she hasn't come into her powers yet, I'm wondering if something is wrong."

"Relax honey" he said, and kissed the top of her head as he walked past behind her. "It's fine. Be thankful that we only have 2 magical kids to cope with instead of three."

Piper nodded but she was far from convinced. Meg, oblivious to her parents freak out, amused her self playing with her mommy's necklace. "Pretty!" she said gleefully. Piper absently tried to stop her from yanking at it while still looking at Leo.

"Wyatt's powers were evident even before he was born. Remember? I had that whole invincible thing going."

"She's perfectly healthy. We haven't found anything in the book to make us think anything's wrong. And the elders seem to think it's perfectly normal."

"Well, they haven't exactly been reliable have they?"

Meg started to play with Piper's pendant again, she shifted her over on her lap, so that bright shiny jewellery was out of the child's reach but Meg just strained to get to it and started to whimper when she couldn't.

"Sweetie, come on. I'll let you play with teddy if you leave mommy's necklace alone." Piper picked up a pink fluffy bear from the floor but Meg just looked at her blankly. Apparently one year olds didn't quite grasp the concept of bribery.

Brooke sat on the stairs watching them. Meg was now standing up, jumping about on Piper's lap. Brooke sat there waiting to achieve eye contact with the baby without her aunt and uncle knowing she was there.

She had to test her theory before anyone found out. Leo returned from the kitchen and stuffed a cookie into Meg's hand. This must have been more appealing than a teddy because she giggled and stuck it into her mouth. "Yummy!" She noticed her big cousin and grinned more.

'Ok' Brooke thought, 'Meg, what am I thinking now?'

The toddler didn't move.

'Right. A different approach.'

Brooke took a deep breathe. Surprisingly, Meg was still looking at her. She pictured a garden. There were flowers everywhere and the 2 little girls were playing on the lawn. She was about to ask Meg a question but she had learnt before that that didn't work. She imagined asking Meg a question. 'What colour flower is this?'

"Are you sure we shouldn't get Phoebe and Paige on it?"

"No" was Leo's simple reply.

"But…" Piper began to say, but Leo placed his hands on her shoulders.

Meg's eyes darted about the sitting area and every now and then she'd look up to Brooke who nodded encouragement and grinned very proudly. Meg finally saw the bright yellow mini cushion that was lying on the other side of her Mom.

She reached over and picked it up. She grinned broadly at Brooke and waved it about in the air. She paused, and looked at her daddy as he settled down on the seat next to her.

"Boof!" she said, and whacked Leo over the head with it.


	6. Chapter 6

"Dad, do you think Meg and Brooke are up to something?"  
  
Leo looked thoughtfully at his son. "Yes, now that you mention it, I do."  
  
"Do what?" Piper walked into the conservatory where Leo and Wyatt were sitting with drinks. She put the empty jug down and walked over to them. "What are you doing in here? It's gorgeous outside."  
  
"Thinking" Wyatt said. "About my little sister. Something weird is going on."  
  
Piper turned to look out the window at the two children sitting on the lawn. "I know what you mean. They're definitely hiding something."  
  
Outside, Brooke sat on the blanket. When Phoebe got up to go inside, she turned to her little cousin. "When are we going to tell the adults about your power?" the seven year old asked.  
  
"No" Meg told her, "don't tell."  
  
Brooke rolled her eyes. "Can we at least tell Wyatt?"  
  
"No" she said again, not giving a reason this time, just stuffing potato chips into her mouth.  
  
Brooke sighed. It had been fun keeping this a secret at first but now it was just getting tiring. "Please?"  
  
"Just heading out" Phoebe announced as she walked through the house towards the door. "Keep an eye on Brooke for me."  
  
"Out?" inquired Paige, who had joined the trio. "Where?"  
  
"Shopping." She said simply.  
  
"Hey, Phoebe?" She turned around at the sound of Leo's voice. "Have you noticed anything strange going on with your daughter?"  
  
"Brooke? No, why?"  
  
Piper gave Leo a questioning look and turned back to her sister. "No reason. Have fun."  
  
* * *  
  
Phoebe shut the front door behind her and stood on the doorstep sighing. She took a deep breath and walked down the steps to her car. She didn't like doing this, lying to her family, but she didn't have a choice. All this secrecy was killing her but she just couldn't tell. All this secrecy was affecting her in a big way. She was distracted most of the time. She was sure she was not paying enough attention to the people she lived with, she couldn't help thinking that Piper had a point about Brooke and she had just been too preoccupied to notice.  
  
Phoebe arrived at the cemetery 10 minutes later and locked her car. She glanced around to make sure no one was watching and slowly made her way towards the mausoleum. The door opened with a familiar creak. She stepped inside and a comforting musty smell hit her.  
  
Phoebe stepped into the darkness and squinted, waiting for her eyes to become accustomed to the lack of light. Only two small grates near the ceiling on opposite walls let sunlight into the small, dusty room.  
  
"Are you there?"  
  
A figure emerged from the shadows at the sound of her call. She smiled. "Cole.." They looked into each others eyes for a beat before coming together in a passionate embrace.  
  
After a moment, she pulled away. It pained Phoebe to let her lips be parted from his, even for a second. It only served to remind her of all those months they had spent apart.  
  
Cole mirrored her grin. "I'm so glad you came."  
  
"I wouldn't be anywhere else."  
  
He pulled her into a hug again. "How's my daughter?"  
  
"Perfect" replied Phoebe, "and don't worry. No one knows you're here."  
  
* * *  
  
"What are you talking about Cole? Lewis was Brooke's father!"  
  
"No."  
  
He stood calmly in the middle of the bedroom looking longingly at Phoebe. Tears of anger were streaming down her face and she was still reeling fro the shock of seeing him again.  
  
"What do you mean no?" she yelled, taking a step towards him, "You think I don't know who the father of my child is? You were dead!"  
  
Those last words she spoke with such venom that it made him flinch. He finally spoke in the same calm tone that he had maintained throughout. "After all you've seen in the last 11 years, you can't believe what I'm telling you now?"  
  
"I don't want to believe it." Her voice was beginning to crack, the tough exterior that she had put up to try and fool him into thinking she was ok was crashing down around her. "You have something to do with Lewis's death as well?"  
  
"No!" Cole said, and for a moment Phoebe heard genuine shock in his voice. Then she remembered all that he had done to her and her family and refused to let herself feel any sympathy for him.  
  
"Get out of my house!" she ordered though gritted teeth.  
  
"Phoebe, just listen to me, you loved me once."  
  
Phoebe stopped, letting her resolve slip for only a millisecond. She did not want to let him know he was getting to her. She took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eye.  
  
"Not. Any. More."  
  
* * *  
  
"Cole, what are you afraid of?"  
  
"They're trying to kill me Phoebe, I can't.."  
  
"Can't what? Be honest?"  
  
"No. I mean. I love you, but I can't tell you what you want to hear. If I go home with you, they'll follow me."  
  
"Who will? Cole, I want to help you but I can't if you won't talk to me."  
  
"I'm sorry, give my love to Brooke."  
  
And just like that, he was gone. Phoebe dropped her head and sighed, tears welling up in her eyes. 6 months it had been now, sneaking around. She just wanted to tell Piper and Paige what was really going on. But the desire to get this burden off her shoulders was no where near as important to her than keeping the man she loved safe. She couldn't bear the thought of loosing him again. 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
"What are you wearing?" Paige giggle and rested the phone receiver on her shoulder. "Craig, stop it. You can see what I'm wearing tonight." "Oh, come on" her date said on the other end of the line. "Give me a break, I'm stuck in this office all day." Paige pouted. "Fine. You know that little red number?" She smirked. She wasn't, but she didn't really think that grey sweat pants and a baggy white T-Shirt would have the desired effect. She could hear Craig laugh in her ear. "Really? Why's that then? You always get this dressed up at 1 O'clock in the afternoon?" Paige paused. "Well, I'm a classy girl." She heard the door slam downstairs and the sound of familiar voices. "Listen, I have to go. See you at the club at 7 right?" They said goodbye and she hung up, replacing the cordless phone on her dresser. She pressed the 'power off' button on stereo and the sound of Aerosmith's greatest hits stopped. Paige walked out onto the landing and saw Piper come in through the front door. Paige still had the memory of the phone conversation in her head and a massive grin was plastered all over her face when she walked up to her sister and the three kids. "Hey guys, what have you been up to?" "Hee hee" Meg said, ignoring her aunt's question. She wriggled in Piper's arms and pointed at Paige. "Pretty red dress!" Paige stopped and looked shocked. "What.?" But Piper cut in before she could attempt to decipher what had just happened. Piper shot her daughter a confused look but shook it off and turned her attentions back to her youngest sister. She opened her mouth to say something but paused mid syllable and looked at Meg with confusion. The 1 year old didn't seem to notice and struggled to be put down. "What did you say sweetie?" Piper asked. "Red dress" she replied and looked at both adults like they were stupid. Piper rolled her eyes. "Yes honey, but why?" Meg decided, in her toddler brain that maybe it was ok to tell her mommy about her power. She pointed to Paige and giggled. Paige's eyes grew wide with shock and she stepped closer to the little girl. Piper looked around and spotted Brooke trying to make a swift exit up the stairs. Wyatt still stood in the doorway, looking as confused as his Mom and aunt. "Hold it!" Yelled Piper. Brooke stopped on the forth step and turned around sheepishly. She put her 'who me?' face on and smiled sweetly. "Yes?" "Oh no, don't give me that." Piper finally gave into Meg's protests and put her down. She immediately headed for the sofa and Wyatt went over to join her, lifting her up onto the couch. Wyatt still stared at his little cousin. Meg just bounced up and down on the cushions. "Yes?" "No you don't missy" Paige interjected, "what's going on?" "Yeah, what is going on?" Piper asked, joining staring very pointedly at her young niece. "Bouncy bouncy!" Meg squealed. "Well, Meg does have a power after all." * * * "Leo!" Piper yelled into thin air. Her husband appeared in a swirl of blue lights a second later. "Go get Phoebe!" she yelled at him before he could fully materialise and he vanished again. "Calm down Piper." Paige said. That earned her a scowl so she decided to shut up. Upstairs, Wyatt and Brooke were staring at the rest of their family downstairs. Meg was waving frantically at them but they largely ignored her. "You're going to be in so much trouble when Dad gets back with your Mom" Wyatt pointed out. He had a knack for stating the glaringly obvious. "I know," she said. Brooke didn't sound all that worried but Wyatt knew she was. "So what exactly is Meg's power?" She shrugged. "I don't know what it's called. She can see pictures in people's minds I guess." Wyatt raised an eyebrow. "Really?" He thought that sounded cool. Way more interesting than a stupid boring force field. Who needs one anyway? Aunt Phoebe could kick box. Brooke nodded. They both saw Leo and Phoebe orb in and Wyatt turned to her and smirked. "You are soooo dead." he said, under his breath. She still managed to hear. "So why didn't you tell?" She shrugged again. "You don't know a lot do you?" "Oh oh, Mommy's mad." Brooke saw Phoebe look towards her and gesture for her to come down. She reluctantly stood up. Ok, was forced to stand up by Wyatt. When she got to the 5th step up, she leaped off and landed with a thud in front of all four adults. "We were having fun!" she said, grinning, anticipating that they were going to ask the same question as Wyatt did. 'Fun?' Wyatt thought, but didn't ask any more questions. He just walked downstairs too and stood between his Dad and Aunt Paige. Leo put his arm around Piper in an effort to calm her down. Phoebe bent down to her daughter's level. "Sweetie, tell me what's going on. We're not mad, we just want to know what you've been hiding." "I found out what Meg's power was" she said simply. "Look, I'll show you." She walked past her Mom and stood behind the sofa facing Meg and Wyatt. "Wanna show your power now?" she asked. "Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah!" Brooke flinched, trying not to be deafened buy the child's shrieks. She guessed that was a yes. She looked at her Mom. "Picture a scene in your mind" she said, sounding very grown up. Phoebe stepped forward and picked up her daughter. "Think of a place. Anywhere, just don't say." Phoebe stood up straight and closed her eyes. Piper had given up being mad and turned, with Leo to face their daughter. "Can you see sweetie?" she asked. "Clowns!" Phoebe opened her eyes in shock. "I was thinking of a circus. That's amazing." All this time, Wyatt had being paying less attention to his parents and little sister, and was deep in thought. He sighed. "Brooke, remember that spell?" All the adults stopped cooing over Meg. "What spell?" Now it was Leo's turn to get mad. 'Whoops' thought Brooke. "We cast a spell" Wyatt told them. "When Meg was still inside Mommy, Brooke wanted to talk to her. We did a 'Seeing' spell." "Did you specify who on?" "Erm, I don't really remember" he took a step backwards. "We had to burn it to make it work." Brooke finally spoke up. "Oh!" she said, suddenly realising. She caught Wyatt's sarcastic 'well done' look and jumped up and down. "I did it!" she squeaked. "I gave Meg her power!" 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 "Cole, what the hell are you doing? I told you not to come here!"  
  
Phoebe had woken up with a start at 3am to find Cole standing in the middle of her room.  
  
"I needed to see you Phoebe, they're after me."  
  
The middle Halliwell sister stared at him wide eyed and told him to keep it down. She wasn't ready for Her sisters to know he was back yet. To tell you the truth, she didn't think she would ever be ready. Cole sat down on the end of her bed and smiled at her. She sighed and shuffled along to join him.  
  
He continued. "I'm just scared Phoebe, I don't want to loose you and Brooke again."  
  
"You've never met Brooke" Phoebe said, "not really."  
  
"But I've seen her though, and I love her." He paused. "She's my little girl."  
  
"Yeah, well" Phoebe shrugged. "She doesn't know that so what difference does it make? She thinks Lewis is her father." Phoebe pulled away from him slightly and folded her arms. "You know, I still haven't forgiven you for what you did. Changing my memories so I would think that Lewis was."  
  
"Honey, please." Cole seemed to shrink into himself and Phoebe relented.  
  
"All I'm saying is that if I feel like this, think how Piper and Paige will react. I just don't want you coming here and jeopardising their trust of me."  
  
"I'm sorry. I just came to say goodbye."  
  
Phoebe gasped. "What?"  
  
"If I don't find a way to get them off my tail, I'm going to be finished. I went to a seer, she said I had 48 hours to change my future. Or The Dagons will make damn sure I don't have a future"  
  
Phoebe stared at the all in shock, trying to comprehend what he was saying, finally learning who was after him. "But they brought you back, why would they go to all that trouble just to kill you again?"  
  
"No, they brought Balthezor back to kill your Nephew! He's still a part of me, I can't escape. What they sent me to do is not going to happen, I love you too much, I wouldn't want to hurt you. They have no use for me now. I thought I might be able to keep my feelings from them but I guess I didn't give them enough credit, they're not stupid."  
  
Phoebe was still trying to comprehend everything that she was hearing. "I can help you get rid of them. Surely the Power of 3 can."  
  
"No, I don't want you to put yourself in danger for me. This is something I have to sort out myself, I have a plan. I was just coming to see you again incase."  
  
Phoebe opened her mouth to tell him not to worry, but he seemed to hear something then shimmered out without a word. Phoebe sat back against her headboard and pulled the quit up to her face. Tears were pricking the backs of her eyes but she swore to herself that she wasn't going to let them fall. He was going to be fine, he wasn't going anywhere.  
  
* * *  
  
Cole stood over Brooke and smiled as he watched the little girl sleep. She softly breathed in and out in her deep, calming sleep. He gently brushed her light brown hair out of her face and tucked her in tighter under her duvet. He wanted nothing more then to lean down and hug her with everything he had, but he could not risk waking anyone, or letting Phoebe know he was there.  
  
He sneaked a glance over at Wyatt. He saw how much is parents loved him, he just couldn't find it in himself to carry out the task he was assigned to do. With one last pain filled sigh, he left.  
  
* * *  
  
Phoebe was still awake the next morning as sun began to stream through her drawn curtains. She yawned. She was so exhausted; she had been before her late night visitor. But after Cole had come to her, there was no hope of her getting back to sleep. She stretched and swung her legs over the side of her bed, reaching for her dressing gown.  
  
Last night's events had really got to her. She had no idea how she was going to act normally with her family with all that Cole told her weighing heavily on her mind. 6 months. That's how long he had been back. This time. He had appeared back into She had managed more or less to keep things to herself. But now she had to ask Piper and Paige to help her save a man they both despised. And who could blame them.  
  
What's more, she'd have to admit all the lies she had told them. Well, not lies exactly, more like important facts she had neglected to mention. But, all the same, she didn't want to do it.  
  
Walking out of her room, she heard Meg whimper from the nursery then Piper gently trying to soothe her. Phoebe walked up to them and hovered in the door way for a moment, debating whether or not to confide in her older sister and lift everything that was bothering her at least partly from her shoulders.  
  
"Shhhh, it's OK Meg." Piper cooed over her daughter, oblivious to Phoebe standing behind her. "I'm here now."  
  
Phoebe smiled, remembering hat it was like with her when Brooke was born. Getting up in the middle of the night to see to her, taking it in turns with Lew.  
  
She sighed, not wanting to travel down that road again.  
  
"Piper, I need to talk." Straight after she'd said it, she wondered where she had found the courage.  
  
Piper turned around and smiled. She didn't seem to jump. If she did, she hid it well. "Sure, just give me a minute. Leo can watch Meg."  
  
"Ok" Phoebe replied, sighing and turning to leave. "I'll be in my room."  
  
* * *  
  
"Wyatt, do you think my Mommy looks tired?" Brooke turned to her cousin as they sat at the breakfast table.  
  
He shrugged. "I dunno, why?"  
  
"She's just acting weird."  
  
"Parents are weird" Wyatt replied and ate another spoonful of cereal. "Maybe you could ask Meg." Bits of chocolate covered cornflakes flew everywhere.  
  
Brooke bit her lip, she wasn't sure what to do. She wasn't sure if anything was even wrong. But she was going to find out.  
  
* * *  
  
Phoebe sat upright on the edge of her bed, staring at the wall. The first time she had moved from that spot in 10 minutes was when Piper knocked and walked into the room. She raised her head and attempted to ease the worry on her older sister's face with a small smile.  
  
"Honey, what's wrong?" Piper was still worried and sat down next to Phoebe, pulling her into a hug. Phoebe dropped her head in shame. If Piper knew she had been lying to her for all these months she probably wouldn't be this understanding.  
  
They pulled apart. "This is difficult." she began, trying desperately to find a way to break this to her gently. "I don't really know how to tell you this."  
  
"What's wrong? Are you OK? You're not in trouble are you?"  
  
"Not me exactly."  
  
"Phoebe, you can talk to me." Piper gave her shoulder and little squeeze and grinned at her. "I'm your big sis, you can tell me anything."  
  
Phoebe nodded. She wasn't totally sure. After 36 years of being sister's, she still was never sure how Piper would react. She'd been understanding before but then nothing she had the right to get mad about was nearly as big as this.  
  
Phoebe took a deep breath and turned to face her. "It's Cole, he's back." 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
  
"Picnic anyone?" Leo put the basket down on the blanket in the park and 3 pairs of hungry little hands reached out as he opened the lid. "One at a time kids! Brooke, sandwiches first."  
  
Brooke stopped, chocolate bar in hand and sighed, opting for a cheese sandwich instead. "Can you pass the chips mom?" She paused. "Mom!!"  
  
Phoebe snapped out of her daze. "Er, sure." She absently handed the bag over and went back to staring into space. 2 days, ever since she had told her that Cole was back. As much as she didn't like the guy, she could see what it was doing to Phoebe, and as much as she loved her sister, she didn't want her to see him again and she defiantly didn't want events to cast a shadow over family life.  
  
Which is why they were now in the park on a beautiful sunny day with enough food to feed an army. Or 3 hungry kids.  
  
"Phoebe, try and cheer up. We're here today to have fun." Piper whispered to her and gave her a meaningful look. Phoebe just continued to stare, not really listening to her sister's words.  
  
"Wyatt!! Uncle Leeeeeeeoooooo, he spilled my drink!"  
  
"Did not. You're just clumsy!"  
  
Leo was frowning at his wife and sister in law from the other side of the blanket. But he wasn't allowed the luxury of trying to guess their conversation when an impending argument between Wyatt and Brooke started to erupt.  
  
"Kids, behave. I'm sure it was no one's fault."  
  
Brooke glared at her cousin. "Was too." But she said that under her breath so she wouldn't be heard. She hated not having the last word.  
  
"So, when's Paige joining us?" Leo tried to change the topic, for the adults and the kids. Meg bounced up and down in her seated position at the mention of her aunt.  
  
Piper smiled at her husband, sensing what he was doing. He offered a weak smile back. "In about 20 minutes, she was meeting Craig first."  
  
"Oh, Craaaaaaaig?" Wyatt said fluttering his eye lashes. Brooke smirked.  
  
"Oi, cheeky!" Leo had an equally amused grin on his face.  
  
Piper rolled her eyes at her son. "Yes, Craig."  
  
"Red dress!" Meg interjected. 4 heads turned to look at her. She had a gleeful grin on her face and clapped her hands happily.  
  
"Mommy? Are you ok?" Brooke crawled across the grass up to her mom and snuggled into her for a hug.  
  
Phoebe smiled and kissed her hair. "Yeah, I just need to take a walk."  
  
* * *  
  
"Your Mommy's not OK is she?" Wyatt caught the ball in both hands and looked at it thoughtfully for a second before throwing it back.  
  
Brooke shrugged. "I dunno."  
  
"I don't think she is. She's been ages on her walk. She's not said anything proper for ages."  
  
"She has" Brooke defended, but didn't have any evidence to back herself up.  
  
"What do you think's wrong?"  
  
Brooke didn't reply. She stopped their game and put the ball down on the ground. She looked at her cousin and waited for him to continue. Wyatt blinked. It wasn't often Brooke looked to him for advice. He wasn't used to being in charge. Or having her attention when he wasn't covered in maple syrup with pink flowers in his hair.  
  
Eurgh, sticky.  
  
"I dunno either. Maybe we should get Meg to tell us."  
  
"You know it doesn't work with the grown ups."  
  
"Not normally, but aunt Phoebe's not being normal."  
  
* * *  
  
Phoebe sat on the park bench next to the path, swinging her legs above the gravel and watched the crowds of people having fun. A couple of kids were riding bikes, there was a man walking his dog and a young couple hugging under a tree. She sighed. If only her life could be this idyllic. She hadn't got very far on her walk. To be truthful, she was too exhausted to walk. She just needed some space.  
  
She loved her family, she really did. Brooke was the most important thing to her in the world. She hated keeping so much from her little girl, but she had no idea where to start with the truth.  
  
The beginning was always a good place, she had been told. But she didn't know where the beginning was anymore. Her life had become so twisted and complicated she couldn't even distinguish between what was real and what she had imagined.  
  
How do you tell your 7 year old daughter that the daddy she loved so much, the daddy she misses like mad and still pines for, was not really her daddy at all? Brooke was strong, she knew that, her baby was a fighter. She didn't let her grief show but even though it happened 3 years go, Phoebe knew the pain was still there. She felt that pain every time she remembered.  
  
"Phoebe.Phoebe!"  
  
Phoebe awoke from her daze to see Cole sitting next to her, calling her name. He grabbed her arm and pulled her into the undergrowth.  
  
"Cole. You can't be here, Piper and Leo are just he other side of those trees, they can't see you, not yet."  
  
"I thought you told Piper about me?"  
  
"I did. But she's angry. I don't want her to do anything to you."  
  
"I know. I understand. Now come here." She smiled at him and relaxed as his strong arms embraced her.  
  
* * *  
  
"Shhhhh!" Wyatt turned around and snapped at Brooke as she tripped over a branch. It made a loud cracking sound and he stopped. "So much for sneaking up" he said, and carried on.  
  
Brooke ran up to his side. "What are we doing Wy Wy?"  
  
Wyatt scowled, "don't call me that!"  
  
"Sorry!" But Brooke wasn't sorry at all. She was bored. And when she was bored, winding Wyatt up was the most fun thing to do. And it was so easily done.  
  
"We're trying to spy on your Mom. You do want to know what's wrong right?"  
  
Brooke nodded. "Yeah."  
  
"Be quiet then!"  
  
The crept further into the trees, just out of sight from Piper and Leo. They could hear Meg protest profusely at not being allowed to join in their little mission. Wyatt wished his little sister wasn't so, well, little. He also wished that his cousin hadn't imagined their expedition to be so fun. Then maybe they'd have a bit of peace.  
  
They both stopped at a large tree trunk and stood still, watching Phoebe and Cole about 10 metres away.  
  
"Wyatt? Who's mommy hugging?"  
  
"I don't know. Maybe we should go and find out." 


	10. Chapter 10

**Author Note: Argh! It's been aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaages, I know! I hope you can forgive my laziness and inability to update fics long enough to read this. It's longer than usual, but that probably doesn't make up for it! I be most of you have forgotton about this fic anyway. Feedback greatly appreciated, I feel newly inspired about this fic!**

Chapter 10

"Babe, just relax. Everyone will love you, I promise."

Paige and Craig walked along a stony path by the river in the park, his arm draped casually around her waist.

"Sure?"

Paige stretched up and kissed him on the lips. "I promise."

"Ok, but it sounds like your sister had a family bonding thing planned, are you sure she won't mind me crashing your party?"

"Don't worry about it." She placed a hand on his chest, standing still for a moment. "Piper stresses too much anyway."

"Piper… She's the eldest right?"

Paige rolled her eyes. "Yes. If you're not good with names or complicated families, you really should start learning."

"Paige?" He looked her straight in the eyes and feigned annoyance. "That really doesn't inspire me with much confidence."

"Stop it! We're meeting them just past those trees. Stop worrying!"

"Brooke! Come here!"

Wyatt snapped at her and she turned around. "What? I thought you said we should go and see?"

Wyatt shuffled awkwardly. "Well, I'm not so sure."

"Wimp!" Replied Brooke and raced over to her Mom.

"Hey Mom, wanna come and play ball with me and Wyatt?"

Phoebe pulled away from Cole in surprise. "Brooke! What are you doing?"

Brooke looked confused. "Coming to find you Mommy, you were being ages." She grabbed Phoebe around the waist and looked at the tall, dark haired guy she was with. "Who's this?"

Phoebe didn't say anything, she just stood there. "He's erm… A friend."

"You mean like Aunt Piper and Uncle Leo?"

"Not really sweetie. Why don't you go back to the picnic, I'll be there in a minute."

Brooke looked confused for a moment but did as she was told. She grabbed Wyatt who was standing a short way back from Phoebe and Cole and raced back up the bank.

"Aaaaargh!" Kahn picked up the stone ritual table and threw it across the cave. His subjects cowered, bowing before him on one knee, terrified of the demon that they were forced to serve. He swung round and faced one unfortunate lower being that was trying to make himself look invisible in an alcove cast in shadow.

His face was barely visible beneath his hooded cloak but his piercing yellow eyes boor into anyone who dared to look at him. "Get me Balthezor!" he roared.

"I… Please, master…" his subjects backed further into the corner. Kahn raised both his hands and the short pathetic excuse for a demon lifted off the ground and floated towards him.

"I need his blood for the ritual" he said, not really to the petrified creature suspended in mid air, or anyone else in the room. He was staring past his subjects and seemed only to be talking to himself. "Without his blood, I'm finished. I want eternal life and there's only one way I can get it." His eyes snapped back and he stared once again at the hovering demon. "I've tried my hardest" he continued in a mock self-pitying tone, "but he has that stupid witch on his side. I need to get rid of them both, if I can do it in one fell swoop, so much the better."

"Erm, sir…" one creature raised his head and nervously dared to speak.

"What!" he boomed.

"Um, there may be a way."

Kahn's gnarled, strong hands were inches from the floating demon's neck but when the second demon spoke up, he didn't seem interested on torturing him anymore. He released him magic from him and he flopped to the floor, gasping for breath. He slowly began to walk towards the minion that was brave enough to speak up.

"Really?" he said, already plotting a plan. "How might that be?"

"I er… There's a child."

"A child?"

"Yes" the demon's confidence seemed to grow. "The child of Balthezor and the witch in question."

"That's impossible. The father of the Halliwell child is a mortal."

"Some of us have recently discovered that that isn't so…" There were nods and mumbles from the gathered crowd who had relaxed now that the focus was no longer on them. "The charmed ones cast a spell" he continued, "to mask the evil that lies deep within the child. But I can assure you, she is the daughter of the one you are after."

Kahn had been leaning menacingly down to the creature's height but he now straightened up. "Really…" he said, thinking for a moment. "How interesting. Where would they be now?"

"In the park."

"Fantastic" he said, in a satisfied voice and the lower demon he had been interrogating burst into flames.

"Hey guys" Phoebe greeted as she walked back towards the picnic. She did her best to fake a smile. Piper appeared to notice something was wrong but only looked at her curiosly, deciding not to spoil the family atmosphere.

"I saved you a cheese and tomato sandwich Mom" Brooke said, thrusting a plate at her mother. She seemed to have forgotten the strange man she'd met or was putting it out of her mind.

Phoebe was somewhat distracted, she took it without thinking and placed it on the grass. "Thanks sweetie." Brooke grinned and skipped off across the grass towards Paige and Craig who were approaching the family from only 10 metres away. Phoebe made no attempt to call her back to her lunch.

Piper's brow furrowed and she looked curiously at her sister. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing." Phoebe's reply was far from convincing. Her eyes held a distant, detached gaze that Piper of all people could see straight through. She was about to say something, when an excited little squeal distracted her.

"Pwetty! Pwetty!" chanted Meg, clapping her hands together and fidgeting from side to side. She reached her chubby little hands towards the orange swirling light that was forming in front of them.

"What the…?" Leo studied it. He had no idea what was happening, but it didn't take a genius to work out that it wasn't good.

Piper looked to Paige, who she could see pick up Brooke and swing her into her arms. They appeared not to notice.

The light grew brighter and Piper had to squint to keep sight of what was going on. 2 cloaked figures lept out of the portal and made their way swiftly but calmly towards the trio.

"Mom…." Wyatt clung to Piper. His heart was beating faster and faster and his breathing increased. Piper wrapped an arm around him and at the same time, instinctively grabbed Meg's wrist. The child whimpered, clearly protesting, but was too mesmerized by the light to put up much of a fuss.

Piper sat there, frozen to the spot, unable to move of say anything.

"Hey there trouble!" Paige lifted her niece into her arms and kissed her on the forehead.

Brooke looked inquisitively to her aunt's companion. "Who's that?"

"Craig" Paige replied. "I was about to come and introduce him to you all. Shouldn't you be eating your lunch?"

Brooke shrugged. "I don't know." That usually meant 'yes'.

"I bet your mom made something really nice, why don't we…"

Paige took her eyes of the child for a moment, just long enough to notice a couple of demons heading towards them. In broad daylight. If she wasn't so terrified, perhaps she would have taken the time to wonder why they didn't fear detection in such a public place. But as it was, everything moved too fast for her to think much at all.

One of them, the larger of the two, placed his hands roughly on Brooke's shoulders. He yanked hard and Brooke screamed. Paige could feel her grasp slip and tried desperately to cling on. "No! Let her go!"

He pulled harder, and Brooke was pulled from her arms. She lunged forward, in an attempt to stop them heading back through that portal but was knocked to the floor. From her position on the ground and her hazy vision, Paige thought she saw another figure punch the other demon in the face. Then they both disappeared.

She groaned, her face throbbing, and tried to push herself up. But her arms gave way and she collapsed, loosing consciousness.


End file.
